Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has safely returned to Earth after completing the Axiom-4 mission. The Dragon spacecraft carrying him and other astronauts landed in the Pacific Ocean, near the coast of California.
This marks a proud moment for ਭਾਰਤ, as Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS). Science ਮੰਤਰੀ Jitendra Singh said, “ਭਾਰਤ has found a permanent place in the world of space.”
Prime ਮੰਤਰੀ Narendra Modi also praised Shukla on social media platform X, saying, “He has inspired a billion dreams with his dedication and courage. This is a big step towards ਭਾਰਤ’s human space mission — Gaganyaan.”
After landing, Shukla will go through a recovery process. He will stay in quarantine until July 23 to adjust to gravity again. Then, from July 24 to 28, he will have technical discussions with ISRO experts. A debriefing with Axiom Space, SpaceX, and NASA will continue until August 13. He is expected to return to ਭਾਰਤ by August 17.
ਅੱਜ, Shukla and his fellow astronauts will travel from San Diego to Houston for post-mission care. ਮੰਤਰੀ Jitendra Singh also said Shukla carried out special experiments in space that could benefit humanity.
This mission has placed ਭਾਰਤ firmly on the global space map.
